Modi hits back at Sonia, says ‘black magician’ ruling India

Jamshedpur: Hitting back at Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Thursday said India has been ruled by a ‘black magician’ for the past 10 years.

Quoting Sonia Gandhi, who earlier said the BJP has brought in a magician who claims to change everything overnight, Modi said, “The Central government has been run by a black magician for the last 10 years.”

“Employment opportunities vanished, farmers' plight increased and army men beheaded," he said at a rally in the steel city of Jamshedpur Thursday.

“Remove the black magician for the sake of the country and to change the fate of the country. People have made up their minds and it is difficult for the Congress to save itself,” he added.

The Gujarat Chief Minister also tried to woo the voters by speaking about his humble beginnings.“I was born in a poor family and I understand the plight of the poor. Those born with a golden spoon in their mouth cannot understand the plight of the poor," he said.

Modi appealed to the people to fulfill Mahatma Gandhi's wish to dismantle the Congress party after India got freedom.

"Gandhiji knew that the Congress leaders would be unable to rule the country and this was the reason why he wanted to wind up the Congress. Time has come to fulfill Gandhiji's dream," he said.Modi blamed the Centre for the misery of the steel city.

“If the Centre followed the right policy, then Jamshedpur's automobile industry could have become the focus of the international market,” he said.

Training her guns on Modi, the Congress president on Wednesday charged that he was being projected with his ‘true face’ hidden behind a mask and as a ‘magician’ who could cure all ills of the country.Without naming Modi, Gandhi also made a stinging attack on the Gujarat model of development being touted by him, saying some people have the habit of projecting ‘small things in a big’ way as if no good work is happening in other states.

"These days you can see all over the country huge and costly advertisements are being showcased and an attempt is being made by them to hide the truth," Sonia said while addressing an election rally.

"An attempt is being made to hide the true face of one person with a mask, he is being projected as a cure for all ills and as a magician for the country. Some people have this habit of projecting small things in a big way. These days similar picture is being shown about the development in Gujarat as though no good work is happening in other states," she added.

The UPA chairperson alleged that farmers' lands were being forcefully acquired in Gujarat.

“If we talk about the condition of women in Gujarat, there are different types of harassment. This is their true picture. They don't believe in unity in diversity, they divide hearts, they make brothers to fight against each other. Please tell me can you expect nation building from such people who don't believe in our fundamentals of secular principles,” said Sonia.

"We cannot have expectations from such people about nation building," she added.